(19)
(11) EP 2 525 179 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
31.08.2016 Bulletin 2016/35

(43) Date of publication A2:
21.11.2012 Bulletin 2012/47

(21) Application number: 12003846.8

(22) Date of filing: 15.05.2012
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
C21D 1/767(2006.01)
C21D 1/773(2006.01)
F28C 3/00(2006.01)
 C21D 1/613(2006.01)
F25D 31/00(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR
Designated Extension States:
BA ME

(30) Priority: 17.05.2011 US 201161486812 P
08.05.2012 US 201213466404

(71) Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
Allentown, PA 18195-1501 (US)

(72) Inventor:
  • Zbigniew, Zurecki
    Macungie PA 18062 (US)

(74) Representative: Kador & Partner 
Corneliusstraße 15
80469 München
80469 München (DE)

   


(54) Method and apparatus for quenching of materials in vacuum furnace


(57) A method of quenching a material by injecting a cryogenic fluid into a cooling stream and simultaneously venting gas from the cooling stream, in order to maintain a desired target pressure in a chamber containing the material. In a examplary application of the method, the quenching is a step in the heat-treatment of a metal and the chamber is part of a vacuum furnace. Also disclosed is a method of supplying a cryogenic fluid to a process in which the amount of cryogenic fluid necessary to perform the process is transferred from a storage vessel to a supply vessel via a supply line, after which the supply line is closed. An elevated pressure is maintained by vaporization of a relatively small amount of the cryogenic fluid that is allowed to build in a pressure vessel that is in fluid communication with the supply vessel.







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